Event Counter Memory Cell Segmentation and Self-Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional event counters face issues with cell wear and defects, leading to the need for redundancy cells, which increase counter updating time and memory size, and are vulnerable to fraudulent attacks that can incorrectly identify functional cells as defective.
Innovation Solution
The method involves dividing memory cells into words of identical sizes, where values outside a specified range are adjusted to maintain a fixed interval, allowing for arithmetic summation to provide the counter value, and enabling self-compensation of defective cells by valid ones, reducing the reliance on redundancy cells and improving fraud detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundancy cells are used to replace defective cells, then reliability is improved, but counter updating time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by periodically testing memory cells and identifying defective ones before they cause counter updates to fail. The system proactively replaces defective cells with redundant ones in advance, ensuring reliability without delaying actual counter updates during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the counter into multiple independent sections, each with its own redundant cells. This allows the counter to continue updating other sections while one section is being repaired or replaced, thereby maintaining overall counter updating speed while improving reliability through localized redundancy management.
2Reliability
If redundancy cells are provided to replace defective cells, then reliability is improved, but memory size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes redundancy cells universal by designing them to be interchangeable with any defective cell in the counter. The same pool of redundant cells can replace defective cells in any position, and the addressing logic dynamically routes operations to appropriate cells. This multi-functional design allows a smaller number of redundant cells to provide coverage for the entire counter, reducing the overall memory size requirement compared to dedicated redundancy for each cell.
3Reliability
If all memory plane cells are periodically tested to detect defective cells, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic testing of memory cells at scheduled intervals rather than continuously or before every counter update. This periodic action allows the system to maintain high productivity during normal operation while still detecting defective cells regularly enough to ensure reliability. The testing frequency is optimized to balance detection accuracy with operational throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs cell testing as a preliminary action during idle periods or between counter update operations. By scheduling tests in advance during low-utilization periods, the system maintains high counter update speed during active operations while still achieving comprehensive cell detection through periodic preliminary testing.
4Measurement precision
If conventional counter updating methods are used, then counter accuracy is maintained, but the counter is vulnerable to fraudulent attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that monitor counter update operations and cell status in real-time. When a fraudulent attack is detected or a cell becomes defective, the system receives feedback and automatically adjusts by routing operations through redundant cells or correcting the counter state, thereby maintaining accuracy while defending against fraud without compromising the precision of legitimate counting operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A counting method and a counter using an integrated circuit memory area, including at least one step of storage of partial values in several words of identical memory sizes, the result of the counting being obtained by arithmetically adding the values contained in the different words.